1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates a door structure for a vehicle and a method for assembling such a door structure.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART
In general, conventional vehicle doors have a basic structure including an outer module and a regulator module which is assembled to the outer module. The outer module includes an outer panel, an inner panel and a sash. The inner panel is fixed at the inside of the outer panel and has a large opening defined therein. The regulator module includes an inner frame, a regulator fixed onto the outside of the inner frame, and a door window panel fixed to the outside of the regulator.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a conventional door structure 1 of a vehicle. The outer module 2 includes an outer panel 3 and an inner panel of which top and bottom flanges 5, 7 are shown. A cut-out 9 is defined within the inner panel between the flanges 5, 7 and upstanding vertical walls (not shown) of the inner panel. The regulator module 11 includes a window panel 13 having a leading edge 13a. The window panel 13 is connected to and movable relative to an inner frame 15 via a regulator device 17. During assembly of the door structure 1, it is necessary to position the window panel 13 through the cut-out 9 and into a space 19 defined between flange 5 and an upper edge 21 of outer panel 3. However, since the distance between the top and bottom flanges 5, 7 is less than the vertical length of the window panel 13, it is not possible to directly place window panel 13 into space 19. Rather, in order to get window panel 13 fixed in its operating position (shown in dotted lines), the leading edge 13a is first passed through the cut-out 9 and into space 19 while the window panel 13 is held at an angle as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1. Once the leading edge 13a is positioned in space 19, the window panel 13 can be simultaneously rotated in the direction of the arrow and pushed upward until it is in the operating position shown in dotted lines. At this point, the inner frame 15 can be mounted to flanges 5, 7 to secure the regulator module 11 in place. The window panel 13 is then movable up and down within space 19 due to the action of the regulator device 17 which can be a manual or power operated device.
Examples of conventional vehicle door structures as discussed above and the conventional processes for assembling such door structures are disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63-60375 and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 59-34923. However, these conventional vehicle door structures and their associated assembly processes have numerous disadvantages.
First, during assembly, the door window panel 13 must pass through the cut-out 9 of the inner panel and the space 19 without touching the flange 5 or the upper edge 21 of the outer panel 3. If contact were to occur, the window panel could be damaged or broken. Thus, in order to provide sufficient maneuvering room during the positioning of the window panel 13 within space 19, the width of space 19 (between flange 5 and upper edge 21) is made sufficiently large. Thus, the overall dimensions of the door structure are increased and the appearance of the door structure diminished.
Secondly, since the window panel 13 must be pushed upward and rotated during assembly, if the window panel 13 is formed with a large radius of curvature R, it becomes more difficult to fix the regulator module 11 to the flanges 5, 7. That is, the physical movement required to handle the regulator module 11 so that the window panel 13 is properly positioned becomes even more complicated.
Thirdly, at a first point where the regulator device 17 is attached to the inner frame 15 and a second point where the regulator device 17 is connected to the window panel 13, large loads are applied during assembly due to the upward and rotating movement. The large loads require that the regulator device 17 be capable of withstanding such loads and therefore minimizes flexibility in the design of the regulator device 17.